Top for vehicles and the like



Dec. 15, 1925 1.565.279

- F. K. LEWIS TOP FOR VEHICLES AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 17, 1920 a two-seated one.

Patented Dec. 15, 1925.

UNITED STATES FRED K. LEWIS, OF ASl-ITABULA, OHIO.

TO]? FOR VEHICLES AND THE LIKE.

Application filed November 17, 1920.

To all 'w/wmct may concern:

Be it known that I, Fnno K. Lewis, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Ashtabula, county of Ashtabula, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tops for Vehicles and the like, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The present improvements constitute in certain respects aspecific form of the improved top which forms the subject matter of my co-pending application filed October 16, 1920, Serial No. 417,410. As in such co-pending case, the present improved top is of the clear vision type, inasmuch as one of the objects sought is to do away with any supports for the top along the sides of the car which would interfere with the vision of the occupants, or the hanging and operation of suitable side curtains or other enclosing means when it becomes necessary to protect such occupants against the weather.

Among the general objects sought to be accomplished is the provision of a top structure of the type in question, which may be supported from a single rearwardly inclined main bow, or standard, so that when the top is extended, the entire tonneau space forwardly of such main bow will be clear of any obstruction, even where such tonneau is A further object is to provide an arrangement of bows whereby, when folded, the latter will form a neat and compact stack capable of being conveniently enclosed in a boot. A further object is to provide a construction that, when the top is extended, will afford a rigid support for the top covering even where the top is a long one.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention then consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but several of the various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing Serial No. 424,745.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a top supporting structure or frame embodying my present improvements, such top being shown as mounted on an automobile body or tonneau of conventional form, and as being viewed from the inside; Fig. 2 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1, but showing a modifiedform of outrigger structure; Fig. 3 is an adaption of Fig. 1, but showing a fiveb0w top, the additional bow being carried by the swing arm which forms a feature of the outrigger structure; and Fig. 4c is an adaptation of Fig. 2 to a five-bow top, the additional bow consisting of a third outrigger bow.

It is of course a matter of indifference whether the top is used, on automobile, motor boat or otherwise, and, depending upon its longitudinal extent, a smaller or larger number of bows may be employed in the forwardly extending or outrigger structure of present interest, as indicated by the several modifications in this respect that are illustrated in the drawings. It will also be understood that the term bow is used herein inclusively to designate, not merely the wooden bow proper, but also the metallic sockets or equivalent members that carry the same, these parts, when regarded in side elevation, constituting the equivalent of the socalled sticks in the old wooden bow type of construction. It is accordingly a matter of convenience to refer to the parts in the singular, as though the structure lay in a single vertical plane, since the parts of interest do actually lie substantially in such a plane. As previously indicated, the top covering 1 is designed to be entirely supported through an outrigger structure from a single main bow or standard 2. The latter, which is of substantial construction in view of the weight it is thus designed to carry, is pivotally supported upon, or attached to, the body of the vehicle at the point 3 in the usual manner, so that it may be laid down and supported in a substantially horizontal plane when the top is not is use. Normally, in the extended or open condition of the top, said main bow 2 inclines rearwardly at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the horizontal, being held from rising higher by the top covering or by special straps, (not shown) or extensions of the longitudinal strainers, which, as is well known, are used to connect the bows together and provide supporting means for the top covering intermediately between said bows. For the purpose in hand such straps or strainers do not require to be distinguished from, but may be regarded as a part of the covering material.

Referring first to the specific embodiment of my improved top illustrated in Fig. 1, the outrigger structure will be seen to com prise a main articulated auxiliary bow, or, as it is sometimes called, outrigger bow G, the latter term referring more particularly to the outer portion or bow 7 proper, which is secured to the main bow by means of an arm 8 (one on each side of course) pivotally attached to said main bow and to the rear end of said outrigger bow, and so constituting the inner portion of said articulated auxiliary bow 6. The point of attachment of this arm to the main bow is preferably in line with, or just above, the side edge of the top covering 1, so as to be hidden by the latter, and the joint 9 between said arm and the outrigger bow is a rule joint, disposed so as to prevent upward bending of the arm in question, when extended in horizontal fashion, as in the open condition of the top illustrated in Fig 1. The outrigger bow 7 supports the extreme forward portion of the top covering in such position, such bow being suitably attached to the front part of the body through the windshield frame, or other means as found most convenient.

The arm 8, whereby the outrigger bow 7 is swingably supported from the main bow 2, is itself articulated, being formed with a joint 10, the distance of which from the main bow is such that when the link 11, which constitutes the rear extremity of said arm, is folded up alongside said main how, the remaining portion of said swing arm will similarly lie substantially parallel with the main bow, as shown more or less diagrammatically in dotted outline in the figure under consideration Pivotally attached to the swing arm 8 forwardly of such joint 10 therein, is a supplen'iental bow 12 that, in the open condition of the top, is designed to extend forwardly at an angle with respect to said arm so as to support the cover 1 at a point between the main how 2 and the outrigger bow 7. The lower end 13 of this supplemental bow is extended past the point of pivotal attachment of the latter to said arm 8 and is directly pivotally attached to the main bow 2 at a point below the point of pivotal attachment of the swing arm to said main bow.

A second supplemental how 14 is carried by the swing arm 8, being pivotally at tached thereto at a point between the joint 9 between the same and the outrigger how 7 proper, and the point of pivotal attachment of supplemental how 12 to said arm. A link 15 connects said second supplemental bow with the outrigger bow 7 at a point beyond the joint just referred to, and a second link 16 is pivotally attached at its rear end to the first supplemental bow and at its front end to said first-named link at a point intermediate of its ends after the fashion of the links in Patent Re. No. 14,982, dated November 9, 1920.

In order to fold up the top just described, it is merely necessary to break the joint 9 in the auxiliary bow 6 whereupon the outrigger bow, and the two supplemental bows l4 and 12 will fold up in the order indicated alongside the main bow, the rear, link-portion of the swing arm at the same time dropping into position parallel with said main bow as previously set forth. The position of the parts in the folded condition of the top is diagrammatically shown in dotted outline in such Figure l and need not be further described.

In the construction shown in Fig. 2, the auxiliary bow 20, while supported on an in clined main bow, and in its construction otherwise corresponding with that of auxiliary bow 6 in Fig. 1, is, it will observed, inclined at a slight angle to the horizontal so that the outrigger bow 21 proper supports the covering material at a point removed from the extreme forward end of the top. The rear portion of the swing arm 22, however, is in the form of a link 23 that is adapted to fold up alongside the main bow exactly the same as link 11 in such, previously described construction. Similarly, a supplemental bow 24 is pivotally attached to the swing arm and has its lower end 25 extended downwardly and pivotally attached to the main bow below the point of attachment of such link portion of the swing arm thereto. For the purpose of supporting the forward portion of the covering material a second auxiliary bow 26 is employed which is pivotally supported at its rear end from a long link 27, such link being pivotally attached at its rear end to said supplemental how 24; and at an interme diate point to the outrigger bow 21 forwardly of the joint between the latter and swing arm 22. \Vhile the joint 29, between said second outrigger bow 2(5 and said link 27, is preferably a rule joint as shown, a link St) is desirably utilized to connect the two outrigger bows to relieve this joint of some of the strain imposed thereon, and more particularly to assist in folding the parts w en the top is being collapsed.

The manner in which the several bows fold together, and the compact character of the stack formed thereby is indicated by the dotted position of parts shown in Fig.

As shown in this figure the link 28, constituting the rear portion of the swing arm rseaeve 3 need not necessarily be aligned with the main portion of said swing arm, to which said supplemental bow 24L is pivotally attached, but it maylie at a downwardly inclined angle; also the downwardextension of said supplemental bow may be'curved rearwardly to conform to the cut of the rear side curtain, which, in this type of top is desirably made continuous with the top cover.

The modification in construction shown in Fig. 3 consists, as previously indicated in connection with the general description of the drawings, of an adaptation of the construction shown in Fig. l to carry an extra supplen'iental bow, making five bows in all, and thus enabling the structure to support a top of correspondingly increased length. With the exception that the articulated auxiliary bow 6 is longer, both in respect to the outrigger bow 7 proper and the swing arm 8, this member, as well as supplemental how 12 are of the same construction as the correspondingly designated members in Fig. 1. Due to the increased length of said swing arm, however, it is possible to mount there on, in addition to supplemental how 31, corresponding with former bow 14k, a second supplemental bow 32, such supplemental bows in the extended position of the top being spaced sufiiciently far apart to properly support the top covering between supplemental bow 12 and outrigger how 7. In order to cause the several supplemental bows to fold up properly, as well as to assist in the support of the outrigger bow in its extended position, a series of interconnected links 36, 37 and 88 is provided. Said first- .uamed link is pivotally attached at its forward end to the outrigger bow forwardly of the oint 9 whereby the latter is connected to the swing arm 8, and at its rear end to supplemental bow 32; link 37 is attached at its forward end to said link 36, and at its rear end to supplemental bow 31; and link 38 is attached at its forward end to link 37, and at its rear end to supplemental bow 12 which is the one, it will be noted, that has a downward extension pivotally attached to the main bow below the point of pivotal attachment of the swing arm to said main bow.

In Fig. at, I show an adaptation of the construction illustrated in Fig. 8, whereby the latter is likewise adapted to support a top of greater length by including an addi tional bow in the structure. Such adaptation consists, in effect, in tilting upwardly outrigger bow 26 of such previously described construction at a slight angle from the horizontal and then employing, instead of a short link to connect said outrigger bow 21, a longer link 40, the forward end of which projects beyond the below said outrigger how 26, and has pivotally at tached thereto a third outrigger bow ll. This third outrigger bow is further operatively connected with the second outrigger bow by means of a short link 42, which functions in exactly the same fashion as link 30 in the previously described structure.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, pro-- vided the means statedby any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. In a top for vehicles and the like, the combination of a support pivotally attached to the body of the vehicle and adapted to incline rearwardly in the open position of the top, a rigid forwardly inclining supplemental bow pivotally attached to said support so as to lie with its upper end substantially directly over the point of attachment of said support to the vehicle body when the top is thus open, a forwardly extending articulated auxiliary bow attached to said supplemental bow about a fixed pivotal axis, and link and lever means connecting said auxiliary bow with said support at a fixed point thereon and independently of any other part.

2. In a top for vehicles and the like, the combination of a support pivotally attached to the body of the vehicle and adapted to incline rearwardly in the open position of the top, a rigid forwardly inclining sup-- plemental bow pivotally attached to said support so as to lie with its upper end substantially directly over the point of attachment of said support to the vehicle body when the top is thus open, a forwardly extending articulated auxiliary bow attached tosaid supplemental bow about a fixed pivotal axis, and link and lever means connecting the rear end of said auxiliary bow with said support at a fixed point thereon and independently of any other part.

3. In a top for vehicles and the like, the combination of a support pivotally attached to the body of the vehicle andadapted to incline rearwardly in the open position of the top, a rigid forwardly inclining supplemental bow pivotally attached to said support so as to lie with its upper end substan tially directly over the point of attachment of said support to the vehicle body when the top is thus open, a forwardly extending articulated auxiliary bow attached to said supplemental bow about a fixed pivotal axis, said auxiliary bow having a lever-extension, and a link connecting such extension with said support at a fixed point thereon and independently of any other part.

4. In a top for vehicles and the like, the

combination of a support pivotally attached to the body of the vehicle and adapted to incline rearwardly in the open position of the top, a rigid forwardly inclining supplemental bow pivotally attached to said support so as to lie with its upper end substantially directly over the point of attachment of said support to the vehicle body when the top is thus open,.a forwardly ex tending articulated auxiliary bow attached to said supplemental bow about a fixed pivotal axis, said auxiliary bow having a lever-extension, and a link connecting such extension with a fixed point on said support, such link being independent of any other part and inclining downwardly from said extension to such point of attachment on said support in such open position of the top.

5. In a top for vehicles and the like, the combination of a single, rearwardly inclining main bow pivotally supported on the vehicle body; a jointed arm swingably attached to said main bow about a fixed pivotal axis; a foldable outrigger structure supported by said arm; and a supplemental bow pivotally attached to said arm forwardly of the joint therein and having a rigid extension connected with said main bow below the point of attachment of said arm thereto.

6. In a top for vehicles and the like, the combination of a single, rearwardly inclining main bow pivotally supported on the vehicle body; a jointed arm swingably attached to said main bow about a fixed pivotal axis; a foldable outrigger structure supported by said arm; and a supplemental bow pivotally attached to said arm forwardly of the joint therein and having a rigid extension pivotally attached to said main bow at a point below the point of attachment of said arm thereto.

Signed by me, this 12th day of November, 1920.

FRED K. LEXVIS. 

